Sea Shells

WillardStiles

A little over a month ago my girlfriend and I went detecting in the woods around an old stone wall and some very crude and old stone markers. After digging for a bit and finding a bunch of old broken jars and garbage I got a hit next to the stone wall. I had to dig under the stone wall and ended up finding crap. The reason I say crap is because I honestly don't remember what it was. However, it was under about shopping bag and half worth of old, old sea shells. They weren't broken, all of them were intact and never opened. I thought it was weird because it was UNDER the stone wall which has probably been there for god knows how long. So I started reading about the area and it turns out the town doesn't want anyone screwing around in there because they're not sure what the stone markers were for. This is a quote from the article: "because Bridgewater was an area of ancient settlement, archaeological remains could exist therefore diligence should be observed during any ground disturbance."

Does anyone have any idea of why there were all those sea shells down there?

I know someone could have just dumped them there, but it just seemed so odd and they must have been down there for at least a 100 years or more. Also, I'm about 20 miles from any type of beach.

goldmine266

I wish I knew. I will ask around. I know long ago they crushed shells for roads and ive found some of these old roads in annapolis maryland about five feet in the ground. The smell from the old roads are unforgetable. When I stuck the road it was black in color with what looked like clam shells crushed in it. I dug next to a train track and found some very rare bottles that read Indian Rock Ginger Ale, Parlett and Parlett Company, Annapolis MD. Back to ur topic what kind of shells were they do u know?

woodwalker

When I walk a plowed field I keep an eye out for shells. When I start finding them I usually start finding arrowheads and other artifacts. They are a pretty good indication of a camp location.

WillardStiles

Doh! They were clam shells!!

ricko

Very interesting.. the fact they were in a 'shopping bag' is very curious... almost sounds like the remains of someone's clambake.... and they buried the garbage. Cheers, RickO

phut

Check out this site.
http://www.stonestructures.org/
Clams, muscles and oysters have been a food source on the coast for thousands of years. You probably stumbled on an area that was used by natives.
Is the site in Bridgewater Conn.?

WillardStiles

<< <i>Check out this site.
http://www.stonestructures.org/
Clams, muscles and oysters have been a food source on the coast for thousands of years. You probably stumbled on an area that was used by natives.
Is the site in Bridgewater Conn.? >>



I'm in Bridgewater, MA. I'm about 10-15 miles or so from Plymouth.

I actually may have worded it wrong up top, they weren't in shopping bags, it was just was about a shopping bag and half worth of clams.

lordmarcovan

What woodwalker said.

Here in Coastal Georgia, we also use concentrations of oystershell to identify early white European homesites as well as native sites.

This early homesite had all but disappeared and there were few visible clues to its location except the terrain and the clusters of shell.

Dockwalliper

What was it among the shells that gave off the hit?

grip

They weren't broken, all of them were intact and never opened.

That is strange.
Al

WillardStiles

<< <i>What was it among the shells that gave off the hit? >>



I honestly can't remember. I was going to go back to the site but we have so much snow here right now. Once it clears up I'll go back and take pictures for you guys, maybe that will help.

Dockwalliper

Food stuff burried to preserve it?

goldmine266

That would be nice to see some pics